RANKED: Here's where the GOP candidates stand going into their big debate

Republican US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ben Carson.
Thomson Reuters
The top eight Republican presidential candidates — and another group of four — are set to square off Tuesday night in the fourth GOP debates of the cycle.

With under a year now until the election, we took a look at where the GOP's top contenders stand heading into the debate.

Our rankings are based on the Real Clear Politics averages of national polls and those in New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina — the first three voting states. We also factored in candidates' momentum (or lack thereof) over the past few weeks.